PAUL POGBA continued where he left off in the World Cup as he inspired Manchester United to a 2-1 win over Leicester last night.

Boss Jose Mourinho’s gamble on the France international paid dividends as he was rewarded with a dominant display in midfield.

United were without injured duo Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera for the Old Trafford clash.

But Pogba started his first match since the World Cup final and opened the scoring from the penalty spot in a man of the match display.

Luke Shaw doubled United’s lead in the 83rd minute with the first goal of his senior career.

“Pogba was a monster”

Man Utd boss Jose Mourinho

The left-back’s deft volley proved crucial in the end as Jamie Vardy pulled a goal back for the visitors in injury time.

“[It] was not hard,” Mourinho said on the decision to start Pogba after such little time back in training.

“The decision belonged to him because Andreas Pereira comes from Valencia bench as a winger to play number six.

“Fred, 10 days training, Ukrainian league,comesdirect to Old Trafford, Ander Herrera injured, I had only two options: Scott or Paul.

GETTY

Pogba scored the first goal of the new Premier League season after just three minutes

“But if I play Scott (McTominay) I play two kids and a new player, so I asked Paul and he put himself available for the team and he was very, very good for us.

“In my opinion, it would be a good performance but with the circumstances, I think verygoodbecause pre-season was very hard and we needed this fantastic spirit by the players to manage this performance and this result.

“Of course some fantastic performances, the boys with the proper pre-season were in a much better condition. Luke Shaw, Andreas Pereira, Eric Bailly, Matteo Darmian, these boys were comfortable to play 90 minutes but the others were fantastic.

“Marcus Rashford was in trouble but he played, Pogba was a monster, we thought maximum 60 minutes but he managed the 80 and then Lukaku and Fellaini available to help the team.

“Fantastic spirit and I think periods of very good football and in the periods where Leicesterwerestronger we played as a team and we coped well with the situation.